Status and ecological effects of the world's largest carnivores

Large carnivores face serious threats and are experiencing massive declines in their populations and geographic ranges around the world. We highlight how these threats have affected the conservation status and ecological functioning of the 31 largest mammalian carnivores on Earth. Consistent with th...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: William J Ripple, James A Estes, Robert L Beschta, Christopher C Wilmers, Euan Ritchie, Mark Hebblewhite, Joel Berger, Bodil Elmhagen, Mike Letnic, Michael P Nelson, Oswald J Schmitz, Douglas W Smith, Arian D Wallach, Aaron J Wirsing
Format: Other Non-Article Part of Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: 2014
Subjects:
Uncategorized
Science & Technology
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Science & Technology - Other Topics
YELLOWSTONE-NATIONAL-PARK
TROPHIC CASCADES
TOP PREDATORS
SEA OTTERS
BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
CLIMATE-CHANGE
EXPLOITATION ECOSYSTEMS
WOLF RESTORATION
ARID AUSTRALIA
LINKING WOLVES
CANIS-LUPUS
YELLOWSTONE
PREY
Canis lupus
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30072143
https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Status_and_ecological_effects_of_the_world_s_largest_carnivores/20926861
Description
Summary:Large carnivores face serious threats and are experiencing massive declines in their populations and geographic ranges around the world. We highlight how these threats have affected the conservation status and ecological functioning of the 31 largest mammalian carnivores on Earth. Consistent with theory, empirical studies increasingly show that large carnivores have substantial effects on the structure and function of diverse ecosystems. Significant cascading trophic interactions, mediated by their prey or sympatric mesopredators, arise when some of these carnivores are extirpated from or repatriated to ecosystems. Unexpected effects of trophic cascades on various taxa and processes include changes to bird, mammal, invertebrate, and herpetofauna abundance or richness; subsidies to scavengers; altered disease dynamics; carbon sequestration; modified stream morphology; and crop damage. Promoting tolerance and coexistence with large carnivores is a crucial societal challenge that will ultimately determine the fate of Earth’s largest carnivores and all that depends upon them, including humans.

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